


Better Than Cookies

by AuroraHearts



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Confessions, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, melancholic fluff, no remind spoilers, soft boys in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:07:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22686748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraHearts/pseuds/AuroraHearts
Summary: Sora makes Riku cookies on a cold winter's day and reminisces about the joy of Riku's confession and the pain of his insecurities. And maybe squeezes him just a little too tightly...--Sora practically leapt onto the couch, wrapping his arms around Riku’s torso and slotting perfectly into his side like he always had. It was like they were made to fit together, two puzzle pieces that morphed and shaped themselves as they went through life but always remained perfectly molded for each other. And now that they were together, the image they created grew more beautiful by the day.
Relationships: Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 96





	Better Than Cookies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fireborn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fireborn/gifts).



> Happy birthday, Anna!! ♥

Sora tapped his bare foot impatiently against the kitchen floor, arms crossed, staring at the oven like a cat ready to pounce. The glorious aroma of chocolate chip cookies filled the tiny kitchen of their apartment, teasing delicious flavor to watering taste buds.

It was sheer torture. These last three minutes were the worst—so close yet so far from the euphoria of that first warm bite, washed down with a glass of milk.

It was especially good on cold days like this. Glistening white snow fell in giant flakes outside the small window framed by pink curtains, a family of tiny wooden deer placed delicately on the windowsill. Snow was very rare on Destiny Islands, and yesterday had been filled with snowball fights, building snowmen, and catching flakes on their tongues. So today they decided to spend the entire day inside watching movies, playing games, and just being together.

But eventually Sora needed something new to pour his frantic energy into, never one to sit still for long, so he decided to make cookies. But baking meant moving around in a heated kitchen, and at the first sign of sweating the socks had come off. He was still a little warm in Riku’s blue flannel pajamas but refused to change out of them, insisting they were comfier than his own. But since Sora only stole Riku’s clothes after Riku had worn them once, they both knew that wasn’t the only reason.

“Come oooon!” Sora coaxed, but the timer refused to tick down faster. A blazing fire in the fireplace and an even hotter boyfriend awaited him in the next room, and there was no excuse for this last minute to take so long. 

“Hey, you need any help in there?” Riku called from the living room and Sora immediately moved to peek around the corner.

“No, I told you it’s a surprise!”

“I can smell your surprise from in here,” Riku grinned and leaned an arm over the back of the couch, head cocked to the side playfully. They had only been dating for three months and living together for one, but they’d been the happiest three months of Sora’s life. 

Sora blushed and puffed his cheeks out. Why did Riku have to be so handsome? And why had it taken Sora this long to realize it? The things a simple look from Riku could do to his stomach wasn’t fair, and if he kept looking at him like that Sora wouldn’t be able to eat as many cookies as he wanted to. So he dipped back into the kitchen and called back a little louder. “You just stay in there like you’re supposed to. The cook—uh, the surprise will be ready soon.”

“Yes sir,” came the reply, and then the ding of the oven timer.

Sora slid his hands into two red oven mitts and opened the oven door eagerly, turning his head away from the blast of heat he always forgot about and admired the perfectly browned cookies. Riku had said once that he didn't care for sweets, but that was impossible. Everyone loved fresh homemade cookies! And Riku never failed to light up any time Sora brought him a treat. Or showed him a picture on his Gummiphone. Or any time Sora approached him with anything, really. 

It felt nice to make Riku smile. There was a time in their youth when it was harder to get a genuine laugh out of him. He would only smirk or chuckle, pushing his bangs back with a smart remark and a coy look. There was always a challenge or a game attached. Sora hadn’t minded it—Riku was still Riku. But he missed being able to entice pure joy out of him—unashamedly wrap him in a bear hug without feeling him stiffen up, or bring those little tears to his eyes from laughing so hard at something goofy Sora said or did.

But now, Riku was better. Ever since their confession, Riku smiled a _lot_ more. When they held hands on the boardwalk or cuddled together under a blanket or gently kissed under the covers, Riku’s smile was _genuine,_ and Sora was rarely happier than in those moments.

Once the cookies had been placed on the cooling rack, Sora moved to the cabinet and stood on his toes to reach his favorite set of matching mugs—black, one with a crown pattern and the other with a heart. He placed them on the counter and poured fresh milk into each one before setting them both on a serving tray along with a pair of spoons, napkins and finally a small pile of still-hot cookies.

Careful to keep his excitement in check (he had learned the hard way not to move too fast across the carpet with a tray of food in hand), Sora brought the tray into the living room and sat it delicately on the coffee table in front of the couch. All of their furniture was old but functional, a first-apartment charm to it they both chose to find endearing.

“Hey, you did it,” Riku teased with a smirk, eyes soft in admiration.

“Hush, or you get no cookies.”

Riku laughed and grabbed the oversized wool blanket from the back of the couch and wrapped it around himself, though surely already warm in his dark grey sweatpants and off-white sweater. “You’re better than cookies. Come here.”

“You’re not even going to try them? I worked so hard!” Sora pouted with his hands on his hips.

“Well they have to cool down first or we’ll get chocolate everywhere.” Riku extended his arm, the edge of the blanket in hand, and beckoned Sora to his side. “Get in here and stay warm.”

The simple gesture was enough to send a wave of warmth through Sora’s heart—to know Riku wanted him close when anyone else in the world would be turned away. Not that Sora enjoyed the fact that Riku was so closed off from others. He wished Riku could feel as free with sharing himself and his feelings as Sora was. And maybe someday the walls would come down for others, too. But for now, Sora cherished the fact that he was the only one Riku let inside.

Sora practically leapt onto the couch, wrapping his arms around Riku’s torso and slotting perfectly into his side like he always had. It was like they were made to fit together, two puzzle pieces that morphed and shaped themselves as they went through life but always remained perfectly molded for each other. 

And now that they were together, the image they created grew more beautiful by the day.

Once Sora was settled, Riku wrapped his arm completely around his shoulders, bringing the blanket with it and covering them both completely from the neck down. Sora held the blanket in place so Riku could slide his hand down to Sora’s waist and pull him even closer. The tightness of Riku’s hold and the fingers curling into his oversized shirt made Sora smirk, knowing it was Riku’s ever so slight possessiveness that made him hold Sora just a little bit tighter than needed. And Sora loved it, purposefully wiggling a little to feel that grip tighten even more.

“Comfy?” Riku asked.

Sora let out a long sigh and relaxed his body, leaning his head against Riku’s chest and closing any gaps that remained between them. “Yeah…” 

“Good,” Riku whispered and softly kissed the top of Sora’s head. 

They stayed like that for a long time, the smell of warm cookies in the air, but lost instead in the scent of each other, neither even tempted to give up this closeness in exchange for any other treat. Sora nestled against the soft fabric of Riku’s sweater, listening to his steady breathing and feeling the warm, firm muscles underneath his cheek. He grinned to himself. 

Riku was his _boyfriend._ He could say it a million times (in his head he might have already) and it would still make every cell in his body tingle with joy. Even after months Sora almost couldn’t believe it. _Riku,_ his cherished person who he had admired his entire life and always wanted to be like. _Riku,_ who he had always loved and never wanted to exist without.

And it had taken him up until recently to realize that Riku felt the exact same way about Sora.

The night they had found out their feelings went beyond friendship had started like any other night together. Lying on the beach side by side, a warm wind ruffling their hair that carried the scent of salt and sea foam. The sky had been extra clear that night and the arm of the galaxy was more visible than it ever was—a breathtaking sight that had Sora’s eyes as wide as saucers, drinking in every color of every celestial body within his sight.

They had both been speechless for a long time until Sora felt the need to know what Riku thought of the magnificent show of stars above them. 

“Wow, isn’t this amazing, Ri—” But when he had turned his head, Riku was already looking at Sora. That in itself wouldn’t have been _that_ odd, except that his eyes were overflowing with tears, the sand below speckled with teardrops falling from his cheek and the tip of his nose. Sora was instantly beside himself. “Riku! What’s wrong?!”

When Riku gasped and looked back up at the sky to avoid Sora’s gaze, Sora sat up and moved closer, placing a hand on either side of Riku’s shoulders, trapping him between his arms and staring down with worry and concern. He hadn’t seen Riku cry since they were children, and it was almost too much for Sora to bear. “Riku, are you okay?” 

When Riku tried to speak all that came out were choking sobs as more tears spilled down the sides of his face. But he didn’t turn away. He kept his eyes locked with Sora’s, and Sora was patient for once in his life as he waited for an answer.

Riku later told him that the sight of Sora gazing down at him with love and concern, blue eyes shining bright and framed by all of the stars in the heavens was too much for his heart to bear in that moment. It filled up like a balloon stretched to its limit with all of the love, affection and admiration he had ever felt for Sora throughout his entire life concentrated into that moment until the walls burst apart and there was no stopping the words from flowing past his trembling lips. “I love you, Sora.”

Being the last thing Sora had expected him to say, he just stared dumbfounded down at Riku until his brain could catch up.

“I...love…” _I love you, too._ It seemed like the natural response. Of course he loved Riku. But...that’s not what Riku meant, was it? It was obvious by the look of longing and fear in Riku’s eyes that he meant _much more._ “You...love me?”

Riku whimpered and closed his eyes tightly, this time letting the tears flow as he let the rest of his body go limp in defeat and exhaustion. “I’m sorry…” he whispered.

It had taken Sora a minute to even process what it all meant. He had always known that Riku would forever be his best and most treasured friend no matter what—a constant, shining presence in his life. But the thought of Riku being _more_ than that...had actually crossed Sora’s mind more than once before. Dreams and late night thoughts of holding Riku’s hand, cuddling close to him, even kissing him. Sora had often wondered what it would feel like to do those kinds of intimate things. But Riku had never shown any interest in those sorts of things, so Sora kept those thoughts to himself, even when it was difficult to. 

To even consider that Riku thought about him in the same way was...a lot. It was overwhelming.

But it also felt really, _really good._

Sora leaned down and pressed his forehead to Riku’s, coaxing tear-stained eyes to slowly open. The galaxies above were reflected in pools of green and for a moment it rendered Sora breathless in a way he had never quite experienced before. His heart felt hotter and softer and more at home than it ever had before, and the longer he stared into Riku’s eyes the more the dots connected, like little constellations inside his head forming the shape of him and Riku.

_Riku._

_This_ was where he belonged. 

“I…” Sora hesitated once more and Riku flinched, sucking in a breath as if he was waiting for a punch, but softened again when Sora’s lips spread into a smile as big as the one in his heart. He found Riku’s hand in the sand and slid his palm into it, entwining their fingers together effortlessly like they had always belonged there. “I think I love you, too.”

And as quickly as _I think I love you_ ’s had turned into easy _I love you_ ’s their friendship had turned into a romance. Sparring and hangouts turned into hand holding and cuddling. Casual sleepovers became nervous firsts and Sora quickly discovered how nice it felt to be the little spoon in Riku’s arms. Although nothing was as nice as kissing Riku’s lips, soft and warm and just a little wet when he would part them just enough to let Sora inside for a moment.

Even now, three months later, they were taking their physical relationship very slowly. But that was okay—Sora enjoyed every single second he was with Riku whether they were competing to see who could carry the most groceries into their apartment, picking out a movie to watch or trying out a new kissing technique. Sora was very eager to try new things, but he quickly learned that Riku was much more reserved.

Ever since the Keyblade War, Riku had been very guarded with his body, even around Sora. He always wore a shirt to bed no matter the temperature and made sure to take a change of clothes with him to dress immediately after showering. The one time he forgot, Sora had been lounging on their bed playing a game on his Gummiphone when Riku came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel around his waist. It only took a moment for Sora’s eyes to glance over the scar on his hip, his eyes naturally drawn to the discoloration, and Riku froze like a deer in headlights, gripping the towel for dear life. 

“Riku—” was all Sora managed to get out before Riku snapped out of it and moved backward, bumping into the door frame briefly before disappearing back into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. 

Sora bolted out of bed and was at the door in a heartbeat. “Riku, it’s okay. You don’t have to hide.”

“I don’t want you to have to see it,” had come the doleful reply, muffled by the door between them. 

That night Riku had kept himself locked in the bathroom for an hour despite Sora’s best efforts to console him. The shower was turned back on at one point and ran until the water had surely gone cold. 

It broke Sora’s heart that Riku was self-conscious about it. In his eyes Riku was perfect. The scar was merely a physical reminder of how much Riku loved him—of everything he had sacrificed for him. Sora told him as much, but Riku needed time, and Sora needed Riku to trust him. So he had gone to the kitchen to make Riku’s favorite cookies—chocolate chip—in hopes that it would bring him some small comfort when he was ready. 

And it had. Because it was the everyday appreciation of each other for who they were that was the foundation of their bond. They lifted each other up, effortlessly, higher and higher until they felt they could dance upon the stars, for they always shone the brightest in each other’s eyes.

Sora took a deep breath and melted against Riku’s side, the intoxicating scent of his pheromones mixed with warm cookies bringing him back to the present. The strong arm wrapped around him created a cocoon of warmth and safety he never wanted to leave. Outside the sun was setting, and the warm evening light painted them in pinks and golds as they held each other, cuddled up cozy inside their blanket, heads resting against one another.

Filled with happy memories, Sora giggled softly under his breath and snaked his arms around Riku’s waist, squeezing tightly. Riku’s warm body against his was everything he ever wanted, and for a while everything was perfect.

Until Riku started to tremble. Sora leaned back, looking up to find his jaw clenched and tiny beads of sweat dotting his forehead. It was the same look as when Sora had helped him to the beach in the Dark World.

Sora froze as an icy shiver panged the edges of his nerves. He hadn’t considered that the injury to Riku’s hip still bothered him years later. “Riku, I didn’t…” As often as Sora hugged him, Riku had never shown any pain. Had he been hiding it all this time? “Does it...still hurt?” Sora asked carefully, watching Riku’s expression closely.

There was a pause and a sharp intake of breath before Riku’s eyes shook ever so slightly. “No.” The answer was given with conviction but a lifetime of studying Riku’s every movement and mannerism left Sora more than skeptical. 

“Don’t lie to me, Riku.” Sora balled a fist into the front of Riku’s sweater, stern but loving. “You don’t ever have to lie to me about how you’re feeling.” 

Riku was an open book to Sora’s observant and loving eye, and it was obvious that he was struggling to keep his emotions from overtaking him. Sora loosened his grip and rubbed Riku’s chest soothingly, the fabric soft and fuzzy against his skin. Being patient usually resulted in Riku opening up more than if he was asked directly, and Sora had all the patience in the world for him.

“Sometimes...” Riku started, carefully choosing each word, “it hurts. More when it’s cold outside.”

Sora’s heart ached at the mere thought of Riku in pain. Especially since it wouldn’t have happened at all if he hadn’t needed to protect Sora. But he tried not to think about that. Riku wouldn’t want him to feel guilty. But still, he wanted to help. He wanted to make Riku feel better. Maybe...

Starting with a warm hand on Riku’s thigh, Sora slid his palm slowly along the fabric until his fingers met the edge of his sweater. When Riku relaxed under the touch, Sora very gently slid his fingers underneath the hem and looked back up, hoping his intent was clear.

“Can I…?”

Riku made a barely audible noise in the back of his throat and swallowed. Sora held his breath as he awaited an answer. He never wanted to make Riku feel uncomfortable and he would never do anything Riku didn’t want him to do, but Sora knew they needed to take this step. He needed Riku to trust him. And he needed Riku to know Sora would never turn away from him or be afraid of anything about him.

Sora made sure to press his body up against Riku’s good side, sharing his warmth and silently letting Riku know there was nothing to be afraid of. And when he received the tiniest of nods, Sora slid his hand a little further. “You sure? It’s okay if you need more time.”

Riku nodded his head harder this time and turned to look into Sora’s eyes, his own slightly wet but shining. “It’s okay. I’m sure.” Then he smiled. That genuine, pure smile. “I trust you, Sora.”

Sora’s heart swelled and he blinked back a few tears of his own before sliding his legs underneath himself for leverage and leaning up to kiss Riku tenderly. Their lips slotted together as easily as they always did, simply made for each other. Riku visibly relaxed under Sora’s touch and let the blanket fall a little.

Even knowing he had consent, Sora was a little nervous as he moved his hand further underneath Riku’s sweater. When he hit the waistband of Riku’s pants he paused for a moment, giving Riku every chance to stop him if he had changed his mind about wanting to be touched. But his eyes couldn’t lie, and the look he gave Sora was one of unconditional love and trust. And...perhaps a bit of want?

Finally, calloused fingers hit the soft skin of Riku’s waist. Warm and smooth...until his fingers brushed the scar. Riku visibly flinched, but Sora knew it wasn’t out of pain. Keeping eye contact, Sora brushed the tips of his fingers over the uneven skin, trailing the edge of it, appreciating every bump and crevice. All of it was a treasure—because all of it was _Riku._

“Is this okay?” Sora asked quietly when he noticed tears forming in the edges of Riku’s eyes.

Riku nodded. “You’re warm.”

Sora let out a breath of relief. All he wanted was to make Riku feel better. But now every bone in his body wanted to make Riku feel _good._

He closed the distance between their lips and tilted his head into a deeper kiss, the kind he knew Riku really liked. He traced the tip of his tongue along Riku’s lips, asking to be let inside. Tentatively, Riku’s lips parted and Sora had to hold himself back from diving in, opting to slowly trace the edges, swirling slowly deeper until he was inside. Riku hadn’t even had any cookies yet but Sora swore he tasted like chocolate, though that might have been the morsels he snuck for himself while baking.

Sora relished in Riku’s soft moan. If he could make Riku feel like this all the time, Sora felt like he wouldn’t ever need anything else in all the worlds. And as his tongue dove a little deeper than it ever had before, he thought about all the years they had wasted not doing this. Not holding each other, touching each other, kissing each other. It almost seemed like a waste, yet it hadn’t been. Sora had learned what true love was. And Riku had learned how to love himself. Every trial cleared away a bit of the fog until the true strength of their bond was brought to light.

They’d lost each other in order to truly be found.

Sora pulled back when Riku’s breathing became a little erratic. He was surprised to see Riku’s eyes had darkened considerably and assumed his own had done the same. With a grin, Sora dove to the spot under Riku’s ear he knew he loved, and Riku honest to god giggled, pliant and soft under Sora’s lips. Sora’s other hand moved to Riku’s back, pulling their bodies as close as possible. Riku rolled his head back to give Sora more access to his neck, which Sora took full advantage of, kissing and licking the delicate skin, enjoying every sound that escaped Riku’s mouth.

Suddenly Sora had an idea. An urge, really. He didn’t know if Riku would be comfortable with it—they had taken some big steps today already—but he wanted Riku to know that everything about him was beautiful and that he was desired and loved no matter what.

After dotting a few final kisses, Sora pulled back enough to meet Riku’s eyes again. “Riku, I want to…” Summoning his courage, Sora licked his lips and looked down to where his hand was under Riku’s shirt, palm pressed gently over the scar. “Can I…”

It took a moment for Riku to process, still in bliss from Sora’s kisses, but eventually he nodded. “Yes.” He brushed a sweaty hand through Sora’s hair and smiled, soft and sweet. “I love you.”

Sora gasped and choked up a little. It amazed him how those three little words still held just as much passion as the first night Riku had said them. Sora smiled before leaning in for another kiss but paused right before their lips met. “I love you, too,” he whispered against Riku’s lips and completed the kiss, bringing both arms up to wrap around Riku’s shoulders.

Using the momentum of the hug Sora guided Riku down onto his back. He planted a knee on either side of Riku’s thighs and leaned forward to brush the silver hair from his forehead and plant a tender kiss there. “I’ll go slow. Tell me if anything doesn’t feel good, okay?”

“Okay,” Riku nodded and laid his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes, completely trusting in Sora.

Sora just gazed at Riku for a long moment, his eyes dancing over the smooth skin of the cheeks he loved to kiss, the long eyelashes that framed the eyes he lost himself in, and the irresistible pink lips he lived to cover with his own. They were slightly parted, a hint of tongue and teeth framed by perfect, slightly swollen lips, and Sora went right back to the days when he unknowingly pined for them. When he would catch himself staring at them without knowing why they captivated him so. His heart had been so in love, and he thanked the gods that his head had finally caught up.

Sora sometimes had to remind himself that he was allowed to kiss Riku now. Any time he wanted, day or night. And he did. All the time. It was hard _not_ to kiss Riku now that he could. And he knew Riku loved kissing him, too, which was the best part of all. 

And so Sora leaned down and pressed his lips against Riku’s once more, delighting in the inhale and little tilt of Riku’s head. But Sora wanted more. He wanted to take the next step in trust, and he was allowed to do that as well.

So he softly moved the kiss to Riku’s chin, then to his neck, slipping his fingers back underneath the sweater and sliding it up enough to expose Riku’s stomach. Sora moved down his body, pausing to press his forehead against Riku’s heart, feeling the rapid rhythm through the soft fabric. 

“It’s okay,” Sora said, placing his hand on Riku’s chest. “It’s just me.”

Riku exhaled slowly, and since his body was still relaxed, Sora knew it was okay to continue. Seeing Riku’s exposed abdomen up close took Sora’s breath away a little, and his body felt even warmer as his hand hovered over the skin. This was something Riku shared with no one else. This view and these touches reserved for Sora alone. 

Sora ran grateful fingers over the defined abs he rarely got to see and hoped this experience would change that. Riku had every reason to be confident with his body, and Sora was determined to show him he had nothing to be ashamed of.

Carefully he leaned down towards the scar, hovering his lips over it, noting the lack of familiar heat emanating from it. The discoloration was more apparent up close, too, as was the rough texture. But Sora wasn’t put off by it in the slightest. This was the proof of the promise Riku made to always protect Sora. They hadn’t been hollow words—Riku’s sacrifices were etched onto his body. Sigils of an oath made long ago and upheld to this day. And he knew that Riku would sacrifice pieces of himself over and over again if it meant keeping Sora safe. 

But Sora swore he would do everything in his power to keep Riku from ever needing to make another sacrifice. Because Riku deserved so much more. He was _important._ He was _loved._ Sora loved him, he always had, and Sora vowed that there would never again be a time in Riku’s life when he doubted that.

Sora pulled the hem of Riku’s sweatpants down a few inches and finally pressed his lips ever so softly to the scar. It was colder than he expected but his breath quickly warmed the skin, and he continued to press the tenderest of kisses along the length of the mark. When he noticed Riku trembling, his other hand took hold of Riku’s and rubbed it soothingly with his thumb.

“I love you, Riku. I love every part of you.” A single tear fell as he pulled away and his voice lowered to a whisper. “Thank you for protecting me.”

There was a moment of silence then a soft sob that made Sora raise his head to find Riku with his arm covering his eyes. He sniffed and Sora saw tears sliding down the sides of his face. Sora shifted to lay on top of Riku, pressing his weight onto him and bringing Riku’s other hand up to his lips. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

Riku slowly removed the arm from his face and looked at Sora, silver hair splayed on the pillow like a halo. “I’ve never...felt love like this before.” Riku pulled Sora down beside him so they were next to each other on the couch and wrapped his arms around him, squeezing tight as if Sora would fade away if he loosened his grip. “Thank you, Sora. For loving me.”

Sora returned the hug, smiling as bright as the sun as he buried his face in Riku’s neck and kissed the warm skin. “I’ll always love you. No matter what.”

Like puzzle pieces they slotted together, Sora pressed against Riku’s side, arms embracing each other, fingers entwined. Their heartbeats danced together like they always had, perfectly in sync, lovingly in tune. Every breath connected them to this moment—as sweet as warm chocolate on a cold winter’s day.

“Sorry we didn’t get to eat your cookies while they were warm,” Riku said, voice low and blissful.

Sora just laughed and kissed Riku's cheek. “Ah, that’s okay. You’re better than cookies.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! You make me happy! ♥
> 
> Let's be friends on Twitter, fellow Soriku! [@AuroraHearts_](https://twitter.com/AuroraHearts_)


End file.
